Power sweeper



POWER SWEEPER Fild June 27, 1958 INVENTOR.

FLO/0 DRUMM.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 25, 1941 POWER SWEEPER Floyd Drumm, Lansing, Mich.,assignor to Ideal Power Lawn Mower Company, Lansing, Mich, a corporationof Michigan Application June 27,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to power driven sweeping machines, and moreparticularly to sweeping machines embodying rotary brushes and. refusecollecting hoppers.

This invention is an improvement on that disclosed in my priorco-pending application Serial No. 126,350, filed February 18, 1937.

In a power sweeping machine of the type to which this invention relates,it is necessary to support the rotary brush and hopper in the properrelationship to the surface to be swept. Where the surface to be sweptis perfectly flat the solution of this problem is relatively simple. Onthe other hand, where such surface is uneven, particularly in the caseof floors having different levels connected by ramps, the problembecomes more difficult as it'is not only necessary that the brush andhopper be maintained in the proper relation to the floor, but also thatthey be held in proper relationship to each other. Furthermore; someprovision must be made for adjustment of the supports to compensate forbrush wear.

My invention overcomes the aforementioned difiiculties by novel meansfor connecting the brush and hopper together and to the traction frame.Broadly the invention comprises an articulated power sweeper consistingof a brush carrying frame pivotally attached at the back to a main ortraction frame, and at the front pivotally attached to a refusecollecting hopper. The pivotal connections are on horizontal axeswhereby the three parts may swing vertically with respect to each other.The invention also includes a novel form of pivotal connection betweenthe brush carrying frame and hopper, and a novel ground engaging supportfor the brush carrying frame, both of which are adjustable to allow thebrush to be lowered as it wears, but provides for maintenance of theproper relationship between the hopper and the brush.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete power operated sweepingmachine embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the structure shownin Figure 1 taken on substantially the line 2-2 thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a por tion of the mechanism shownin Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic View showing the manner in which the threeunits of the device may move relative to each other; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on substantiallythe line 5-5 of Figure 3.

1938, Serial No. 215,989

In general, the sweeper comprises a traction unit H], a rotary brushunit ll pivotally connected thereto, and a hopper I2 pivotally connectedto the brush unit ll, both pivots being 5 located on horizontal axestransverse of the structure.

The traction unit comprises a traction frame [3 supported at its forwardend on a pair of traction wheels l4 and at its rear end on a casterwheel l5. Mounted on the frame I3 is a suitable power plant l6, which inthis instance is an internal combustion engine. The drive shaft of thepower plant is connected by any suitable means to the traction wheels Min order to furnish motive power thereto. A pair of upwardly andrearwardly extending arms 18 to which handles l9 are connected provide ameans for guiding the sweeper.

Mounted on the forward end of the frame I3 is a transverse shaft 20which carries a pair of arms 2| having pivotal movement about the axisthereof. These arms 21 are fixed to a brush carrying frame 22. The brushcarrying frame has depending side walls 23 on which are mounted bearings24. A brush 25 is mounted on a transverse shaft which is rotatable inthe bearings 24. One end of the shaft carries a sprocket, not shown,which is connected by a drive chain I! to the drive shaft of the powerplant I6 whereby the brush may be rotated.

An upstanding arm 26 is mounted on the shaft 26 and its upper end isconnected by a rod 21 to a bell crank 28 mounted on a cross bar 30secured to the arms [8. A chain 3| is also connected at one end to theupper end of the arm 26, and at its other end the chain is connected tothe top of the brush carrying frame 22. With the arrangement justdescribed it is possible to lift the brush from the floor by applying adownward force to a handle 29 in the bell crank 28 which is appliedthrough the bell crank 28 and link 21 and chain 3! to the brush frame.

The foregoing structure is all more fully described in my aforesaidco-pending application.

Rigidly secured to the forward ends of the side walls 23 of the brushcarrying frame are a pair of supporting blocks 32, one at each side ofsaid frame. The outer faces of the blocks 32 are serrated. These facesengage serrated faces of a pair of complementary supporting blocks 33.In the outer face of each block 33 is a channel shaped groove andslidable in this groove is a bar 34. The bar 34 has an elongated slot 35therein. A bolt 36, with a nut 36a thereon, ex- 55 tends through theslot 35 and through centrally The bar 34 carries an extension 31integral herewith, which forms a bearing bracket for a caster wheel 38.The caster wheel 38 has a shaft 39 which extends upwardly through thebearing bracket, and preferably anti-friction bearings 48*- are employedbetween the caster wheel and the bearing bracket. From the foregoing it'will be readily apparent that the relative height of the brush may bevaried at will by merely ad-- justing the positionof the bar 34. Incthismanner, as the brushbecomesworn, it can be lowered sothat. it willalways make-the proper contact with-the floor;

Near the upper front corner of the side walls. 23 of the brush carryingframe is another pair. of supporting blocks 4| and 42 similar .to theblocks, 32v and 33' previously described. The inner blocks 42 arerigidlysecured to side walls 23, and ethe adjacent faces of the blocksare serrated. The outer block 4|" has. a horizontally extendingchannel-shaped groove in which a supporting baru43-ises1idab1y mounted.This supporting bar 43has an-elongated-slot 44 through which a bolt 45provided with a nut-.43 passes. It will be readily-seen that the bar43..ma.v be adjusted longitudinally as wellas rotatably with respect tothe brush frame by loosening the nut. 46 and moving the block 4Iorsliding ,the,bar. 43 in the samemanner as the bar. 34l. previouslydescribed.

The side walls i2a. of the hopper ,I2 are pro-v vided at their. upperedges-with inwardly extending-flanges 12b. Mounted on the flanges 12bare a pair of brackets 43-. The brackets 48. have upstanding faceportions 48a .in which are arcuate slots 49. The forwardly extendingportionsof the brackets 48 are slotted at 53., These. brackets 48 aresecured to theflanges l2b bymeans of handles 54 fromwhich.extend.threaded shafts 55.. The shafts 55 pass throughholes in theflanges lzband are threaded into bosses secured to the underside oftherflanges [21). When the handles 54 are screwed tightly against thebrackets 48.the hopper is securely attached thereto, but the lattermaybe easily removed by merely loosening. the handles, whereupon thehopper may beslipped from the brackets as shafts 55 .slide out of theslots 53.

Extending outwardly from the upstanding face portion 48a of each bracket48 is an integral. boss 59 which is provided with an axial bore 50?).Each arm 43 is also provided with an integral boss 41 which extendslaterally thereof toward the bracket 48. Extending axially through theboss 4'! is a threaded bore 47a. The arm 43, is also bored at 50a andthisbore is also threaded. A cap screw 52 extends throughthe bore 5% inthe bracket 48 and is secured in the bore 50a in the arm 43. A cap screw5| extends through the slot 49 inthe bracket 48 and is threaded intovthe bore 47a in the arm43- The cap screw 52 forms the pivot about which,the bracket 48 and the attachedhopper, mayrotate, while .theflcap Thecap screw 5| may be drawn up tightly to clamp the bracket 48 to the arm43 if it is desired to hold them rigidly together.

With the pivotal connection just described it is possible to dump thehopper without removing it from the brackets 48. It is merely necessaryto lift the front end of the hopper, thereby tilting the hopper aboutpivots 52. The brush 25 may then be lifted over the pile of refuse byoperating the handle 23 in the proper manner.

It is also possible to tilt the hopper about pivots 52--to a positionabove the brush carrying frame, where it rests against the brushcarrying frame. The sweeper and hopper may then be raised simultaneouslyfrom the floor by means of the handle 29 in order to transport thesweeper from one place to another, without the friction of the castersand brush on the floor.

At the forward end of the hopper i2 a reinforcing channelbar 58isattached, to which :a pair ofbearing brackets 51.- are rigidly secured.vCast.- er wheels 58. having .vertical pivotshafts-fi aaremounted inbearings in these bearing .blocks...

From the foregoing it willbe apparent that.;the hopper is supported atits front end by. the :cast-.

ers 58 and at its rear. end by thepivotson-the-.-

brackets 48 andthe bars 43.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 4, it will be seen that thearticulated connectionsof the traction frame-,the brushframe andithehopper are such as to allowa considerable amount of relative movement ofthe threeeunits The supporting'casters 38.: and 58 hold the brush andthe hopper respectively.- in the proper relationship to the surfacewhich:- is being swept, while the two pivotal connections. allow thebrush and hopper to-follow-an .irrege. ular surface such as.- the.threeseparate inclines shown in Figure 4. Inasmuch as hopper is -piv-.oted toithe brushframe there will be little dis-. placement of thehopperrelative to the brush.-. as the brush passes over theirregularities of the.

[0, and I2.

floor. Consequently, the hopper willalways be in a position to receivethe refuse to be swept intol.

it by the rotating brush.

It will be evident that as-the brush wears, "thebrush'carrying frame 22must be lowered-with:- It is also necessary: to move the hopper towardthe brush Thus. when the brush has been reduced in diameter to: a degreesuch that it does not properly contact respect to the hopper I2.

the floor, the bar 34 may beadjusted vertically relative to the block33, the bar 43 maybe adjusted horizontally relative to block 4|; and theadjustably connected to the brush carrying frame.

adjacent the front end thereof for regulating the position of the brushrelative to the ground,

a hopper located forwardly of the brush carrying frame, said hopper,havingan open side in close proximity to the rotatable, brush, andadjustable pivot means connectingqthe hopper to the. brush carryingframe. for-vertical oscillation relative thereto, said means beingadjustable both vertically and horizontally relative to the brushcarrying frame.

2. An articulated power sweeper comprising a main frame supported onwheels, a hopper spaced longitudinally from said main frame, a brushcarrying frame between said main frame and said hopper, a rotatablebrush mounted on said brush carrying frame, said brush carrying framebeing pivotally connected to the main frame on an axis extendingtransversely of said frame and located adjacent one side of said brushcarrying frame, means pivotally connecting the brush carrying frame tothe hopper on an axis extending transversely of said frames and locatedadjacent the opposite side of the brush carrying frame, ground engagingsupports mounted on the side of the hopper remote from the brushcarrying frame, and ground engaging supports mounted on the side of thebrush carrying frame adjacent the hopper.

3. In a power sweeper, a traction frame supported on wheels, a brushcarrying frame pivotally connected adjacent its rear end to the tractionframe, a brush rotatably mounted on the brush carrying frame, a hopperlocated forwardly of the brush carrying frame, said hopper having anopen side in close proximity to the rotatable brush, and adjustablepivot means connecting the hopper to the brush carrying frame forvertical oscillation relative thereto, said means being ad-' justableboth vertically and horizontally relative to the brush carrying frame.

4. An articulated power sweeper comprising a main frame supported onwheels, a hopper spaced longitudinally from said main frame, a brushcarrying frame between said main frame and said hopper, a rotatablebrush mounted on said brush carrying frame, said brush carrying framebeing pivotally connected to the main frame on an axis extendingtransversely of said frames and located adjacent one side of said brushcarrying frame, means pivotally connecting the brush carrying frame tothe hopper on an axis extending transversely of said frames and locatedadjacent the opposite side of the brush carrying frame, said meanscomprising an arm slidably connected at one end to the brush carryingframe and pivotally connected adjacent the other end to the hopperwhereby the position of the hopper with respect to the brush may bevaried.

5. An articulated power sweeper comprising a main frame supported onwheels, a hopper spaced longitudinally from said main frame, a brushcarrying frame between said main frame and said hopper, a rotatablebrush mounted on said brush carrying frame, said brush carrying framebeing pivotally connected to the main frame on an axis extendingtransversely of said frames and located adjacent one side of said brushcarrying frame, means pivotally connecting the brush carrying frame tothe hopper on an axis extending transversely of said frames and locatedadjacent the opposite side of the brush carrying frame, said meanscomprising an arm pivotally connected at one end to the brush carryingframe and pivotally connected adjacent the other end to the hopperwhereby the position of the hopper with respect to the brush may bevaried.

6. An articulated power sweeper comprising a main frame supported onwheels, a hopper spaced longitudinally from said main frame, a brushcarrying frame between said main frame and said hopper, a rotatablebrush mounted on said brush carrying frame, said brush carrying framebeing pivotally connected to the main frame on an axis extendingtransversely of said frames and located adjacent one side of said brushcarrying frame, means pivotally connecting the brush carrying frame tothe hopper on an axis extending transversely of said frames and locatedadjacent the opposite side of the brush carrying frame, said meanscomprising an arm slidably and pivotally connected at one end to thebrush carrying frame and pivotally connected adjacent the other end tothe hopper whereby the position of the hopper with respect to the brushmay be varied.

7. An articulated power sweeper comprising a main frame supported onwheels, a hopper spaced longitudinally from said main frame, a brushcarrying frame between said main frame and said hopper, a rotatablebrush mounted on said brush carrying frame, said brush carrying framebeing pivotally connected to the main frame on an axis extendingtransversely of said frame and located adjacent one side of said brushcarrying frame, means pivotally connecting the brush carrying frame tothe hopper on an axis extending transversely of said frames and locatedadjacent the opposite side of the brush carrying frame, a groundengaging support mounted on the hopper remote from the pivotalconnection between the hopper and the brush carrying frame, and a groundengaging support mounted on the brush carrying frame remote from thepivotal connection between the brush carrying frame and the main frame.

FLOYD DRUMM.

